ziseviolet:hanfugallery:chinese hanfu by 逸仚居This type of hanfu is called mangpao/蟒袍 (lit. “python ro
ziseviolet:hanfugallery:chinese hanfu by 逸仚居This type of hanfu is called mangpao/蟒袍 (lit. “python robe”), also known as huayi/花衣 or mangfu/蟒服. It’s named mangpao because of the mang/蟒 embroidery on it. In ancient China, “mang” referred to a mythical creature that resembled a dragon yet had only four toes in one claw, so it wasn’t really a dragon. Real dragons have five toes in one claw, and only royal clothes can be embroidered with real dragons. Today of course, people can wear hanfu with a dragon, and hanfu no longer has a hierarchy of status like in ancient times, but is available to everyone. -- source link